In the last post, we were talking about understanding African culture. However, before we can really understand any other culture, we must first understand our own culture (i.e., point of reference on life). So how do people in American culture generally view life? What are the rules that govern the average American's worldview? For this post, I am going to borrow from a book that I recommend to you on this subject of cultural complications, "American Cultural Baggage - how to recognize and deal with it" by Stan Nussbaum.
In his book, Mr. Nussbaum, highlights 10 cultural values in the American society. He calls them the 10 Commandments of American Culture. Though there are varying degrees of these values in different individuals, I think you will agree and chuckle at the resemblance that you will see.
1. You can't argue with success (Be a success!)
2. Live and let live (Be tolerant!)
3. Time flies when you are having fun (Have lots of fun!)
4. Shop till you drop
5. Just do it
6. You are only young once (Do whatever you can while you have the chance!)
7. Enough is enough (Stand up for your rights!)
8. Rules are made to be broken (Think for yourself!)
9. Time is money (Don't waste time!)
10. God helps those who help themselves (Work hard!)
Americans, by and large, tend to be very ethnocentric people. After living abroad in a foreign country for 3 years, we can usually spot an American visitor at a moment's notice. And not because everyone over here is black-skinned. To the contrary, there are many caucasian English-speaking people in our very community. However, Americans in general, have a unique ability to proclaim their presence in foreign lands, by virtue of their ethnocentricity. Not all cultures have the same 'values' as American culture, and many Americans cannot seem to understand or appreciate that fact! Thus Americans are often seen as loud and brash. Though I am American through and through, sometimes the 'loud American' makes me want to curl up and hide my true identity :-).
I am working on a list of the 10 Commandments of African Culture for my next post. We'll keep you in suspense for now:-).
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
One of our favorite places...
Kruger Park: To most people, it is an article in National Geographic, a documentary on television, or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. To us, it is next door - only an hour from our doorstep.
Most kids have childhood memories of family vacations - camping or trips to Grandma’s house. Our kids have memories of nights spent at camps inside Kruger Park, falling asleep to distant lion roars. How cool is that?
A few weeks ago, George, the kids, and I went away to Kruger for a couple days. We had never gone there just as a family, with the exception of a day trip or two. We wanted to take one last trip before furlough – and before it got too hot!
We stayed at the Satara Camp this time. We’ve found this to be Lion Country! Not to worry though, the camps are surrounded by high-voltage electric fences. They have nice little thatched roof chalets. We got a chalet that had an outdoor kitchen on the porch. There is nothing like having a braai (BBQ) inside of Kruger Park. To read more, visit their website at http://www.krugerpark.co.za/ .
It was one of the best trips we’ve ever had there. The kids are at an age now that they get SO excited about everything – even the impalas - which are as plenteous as perhaps the
trees. We ‘joke’ that you always know when it’s someone’s first time in Kruger. They stop to look at impalas. :o) We saw 4 of the Big Five; Lion, Elephant, Rhino, and Cape Buffalo among tons of other rare sightings too numerous to list.
The highlight of course was seeing the huge male lion just off the tar road. All morning, Joel was asking God to bring the lions out. We had just headed back out for an evening drive before the gates closed at dusk. Coming upon a gravel road, we noticed several herds of animals: waterbuck and impala. They were all frozen and fixated on one area of grass. Something had them nervous. We turned onto the gravel road, seeing a couple cars pulled over. As we turned the corner, just off the side of the road, a huge male lion lifted his magnificent head out of the tall grass. We turned off the engine (and rolled up the windows!). As he was lounging there in the grass, he lowered his head and laid down. This is why it is illegal to get out of your car inside the park. Even though we KNEW the lion was there, we could no longer see him at all. After a few minutes, he lifted that magnificent head and began sniffing at the air. I began to pray that God would pinch the lion and make him run or roar! And did he ever roar…
Click below to see our actual video clip, this was without zooming in. :o)
Most kids have childhood memories of family vacations - camping or trips to Grandma’s house. Our kids have memories of nights spent at camps inside Kruger Park, falling asleep to distant lion roars. How cool is that?
A few weeks ago, George, the kids, and I went away to Kruger for a couple days. We had never gone there just as a family, with the exception of a day trip or two. We wanted to take one last trip before furlough – and before it got too hot!
We stayed at the Satara Camp this time. We’ve found this to be Lion Country! Not to worry though, the camps are surrounded by high-voltage electric fences. They have nice little thatched roof chalets. We got a chalet that had an outdoor kitchen on the porch. There is nothing like having a braai (BBQ) inside of Kruger Park. To read more, visit their website at http://www.krugerpark.co.za/ .
It was one of the best trips we’ve ever had there. The kids are at an age now that they get SO excited about everything – even the impalas - which are as plenteous as perhaps the
trees. We ‘joke’ that you always know when it’s someone’s first time in Kruger. They stop to look at impalas. :o) We saw 4 of the Big Five; Lion, Elephant, Rhino, and Cape Buffalo among tons of other rare sightings too numerous to list.
The highlight of course was seeing the huge male lion just off the tar road. All morning, Joel was asking God to bring the lions out. We had just headed back out for an evening drive before the gates closed at dusk. Coming upon a gravel road, we noticed several herds of animals: waterbuck and impala. They were all frozen and fixated on one area of grass. Something had them nervous. We turned onto the gravel road, seeing a couple cars pulled over. As we turned the corner, just off the side of the road, a huge male lion lifted his magnificent head out of the tall grass. We turned off the engine (and rolled up the windows!). As he was lounging there in the grass, he lowered his head and laid down. This is why it is illegal to get out of your car inside the park. Even though we KNEW the lion was there, we could no longer see him at all. After a few minutes, he lifted that magnificent head and began sniffing at the air. I began to pray that God would pinch the lion and make him run or roar! And did he ever roar…
Click below to see our actual video clip, this was without zooming in. :o)
Wouldn't you just LOVE to see this with your own eyes? Booking visitors for next term….
Thursday, November 15, 2007
As I was talking with a mutual friend today, the copier repair man, yes I see him a lot (lol), I was reminded of a subject that I have been giving a lot of consideration to lately. The struggle to communicate across cultures. There have been scores of books written on the subject, concerning the land mines, helpful pointers, and even explanations about how other cultures think (i.e., other culture's worldviews). I have read several of these books, however, I have never understood the challenges of communicating in another culture, as much as I now do, having lived in another culture for almost 3 years. Don't take that to mean, by any stretch, that I have figured out how to handle it, quite the opposite. I guess more than anything, I have learned that I have much more to learn. Somedays I wonder if I will ever really figure this culture(s) out.
You see the country that we now consider to be our home is a mix of cultures that we are confronted with everyday. Each of them are unique and special, and each of them offer great challenges to understand. Some of these cultures are first world, some of them are third world, and some are somewhere in-between! How hard is it to tell the mechanic what is wrong with your car? Well it took mine several minutes before he figured out I was talking about the central locks and not the headlights????? How difficult should it be to transfer money between bank accounts? It seemed fairly easy, until I did what the banker told me to do, then I discovered that they really couldn't do it that way after all. So, now transfer the money to another business who will send the money to another institution, who will HOPEFULLY make the transfer for me :-0. Now, the worst part is that these 2 examples are dealing with white folks in this culture who think and live in a half-similar manner to ourselves.
NOW, imagine trying to deal with the majority culture here of African folks, whom we love so dearly, yet so often fain to understand and vice-versa. For example, one guy (african) gives me his resume to type up so he can find a job. But, I notice that he has given me 2 different copies. One has more qualifications listed than the other. I interpret that to mean, one is older than the other. Let me combine the information on the 2 and make 1 perfect resume. When I give him the copy back, he asks....'why did you only give me 1, I gave you 2 different ones to type?' I explained my reasoning to him. He replied, 'well the one with fewer qualifications is for applying for general labor positions, the one with more qualifications is for applying for a higher job position'. In other words, if I find a job for cheap labor, and I give them a resume with too many qualifications, then they won't hire me because I'm overqualified? Ok....my head is still spinning from that 'logic'. But, that's just the problem, that was perfectly 'logical' in his mind....that's fine, but my mind doesn't process information that way!
The paradigm shift in worldview thinking is absolutely critical on our part if we are going to be effective in reaching these souls with the Gospel. If you don't understand how a person thinks, it is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to give them understanding of spiritual truths. However, most of us have never thought about how we think (i.e., our worldview). We just assume that everybody thinks like us, or at least they ought to if they don't :-). Until we first define our own worldview, we will never be able to gain insight into how other cultures think (i.e., their worldview). In some further posts, I would like to try and paint a picture for you of a typical american worldview and then a typical african worldview.
You see the country that we now consider to be our home is a mix of cultures that we are confronted with everyday. Each of them are unique and special, and each of them offer great challenges to understand. Some of these cultures are first world, some of them are third world, and some are somewhere in-between! How hard is it to tell the mechanic what is wrong with your car? Well it took mine several minutes before he figured out I was talking about the central locks and not the headlights????? How difficult should it be to transfer money between bank accounts? It seemed fairly easy, until I did what the banker told me to do, then I discovered that they really couldn't do it that way after all. So, now transfer the money to another business who will send the money to another institution, who will HOPEFULLY make the transfer for me :-0. Now, the worst part is that these 2 examples are dealing with white folks in this culture who think and live in a half-similar manner to ourselves.
NOW, imagine trying to deal with the majority culture here of African folks, whom we love so dearly, yet so often fain to understand and vice-versa. For example, one guy (african) gives me his resume to type up so he can find a job. But, I notice that he has given me 2 different copies. One has more qualifications listed than the other. I interpret that to mean, one is older than the other. Let me combine the information on the 2 and make 1 perfect resume. When I give him the copy back, he asks....'why did you only give me 1, I gave you 2 different ones to type?' I explained my reasoning to him. He replied, 'well the one with fewer qualifications is for applying for general labor positions, the one with more qualifications is for applying for a higher job position'. In other words, if I find a job for cheap labor, and I give them a resume with too many qualifications, then they won't hire me because I'm overqualified? Ok....my head is still spinning from that 'logic'. But, that's just the problem, that was perfectly 'logical' in his mind....that's fine, but my mind doesn't process information that way!
The paradigm shift in worldview thinking is absolutely critical on our part if we are going to be effective in reaching these souls with the Gospel. If you don't understand how a person thinks, it is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to give them understanding of spiritual truths. However, most of us have never thought about how we think (i.e., our worldview). We just assume that everybody thinks like us, or at least they ought to if they don't :-). Until we first define our own worldview, we will never be able to gain insight into how other cultures think (i.e., their worldview). In some further posts, I would like to try and paint a picture for you of a typical american worldview and then a typical african worldview.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Prayer Alert
Many of you have expressed your prayers for the work over here, and for that we are very grateful. It has been a couple of weeks since I updated you, and wanted to let you know how things are progressing over here with the ministry.
Kujwana village. We are still meeting with a small group here on Sunday mornings. Our focus right now is on reaching Silas and his girlfriend Mavis with the Gospel. If we can reach them and see them put their lives in order concerning their present 'live-in' situation, we may be able to build something off the back of that. David has been doing most of the teaching at these studies and has been dealing with Silas as well. Yesterday, Silas admitted that he has realized that he is not born again. When we first met him he said that he was, but his testimony was a very typical Charismatic testimony....not much at all. Pray for Silas and Mavis and Kujwana village.
Motupa village. We continue to meet here on Sunday afternoons. We did baptize 4 men a few weeks back, and they all are continuing faithful to the Lord. It is exciting to watch them growing together into a fellowship of believers. They meet regularly on Wednesday afternoons as well to study the Scriptures together. Pray for David, Fels, Godfrey, Thomas, and Kenyas. There are some others that attend the studies on Sunday as well from time to time. Pray for Sam, Izak, Phetole, and others that these men are influencing with the Gospel. It is a joy to see these men demonstrating a burden for reaching their own people.
As we prepare for furlough, most of our focus is on developing discipleship and leadership into the lives of these men that have shown commitment to the Lord's work. Over the last 3 years, many have been the professors and 'flash in the pan', few have been the gems that weather the tests of discipleship. These men at Motupa are beginning to bear some very promising fruit. Each one of them feels a strong personal responsibility toward the building of a church in their village. We are praying that God will use them mightily, especially in our absence, to see that the work can be done without the missionary here. Please pray with us to that end.
Kujwana village. We are still meeting with a small group here on Sunday mornings. Our focus right now is on reaching Silas and his girlfriend Mavis with the Gospel. If we can reach them and see them put their lives in order concerning their present 'live-in' situation, we may be able to build something off the back of that. David has been doing most of the teaching at these studies and has been dealing with Silas as well. Yesterday, Silas admitted that he has realized that he is not born again. When we first met him he said that he was, but his testimony was a very typical Charismatic testimony....not much at all. Pray for Silas and Mavis and Kujwana village.
Motupa village. We continue to meet here on Sunday afternoons. We did baptize 4 men a few weeks back, and they all are continuing faithful to the Lord. It is exciting to watch them growing together into a fellowship of believers. They meet regularly on Wednesday afternoons as well to study the Scriptures together. Pray for David, Fels, Godfrey, Thomas, and Kenyas. There are some others that attend the studies on Sunday as well from time to time. Pray for Sam, Izak, Phetole, and others that these men are influencing with the Gospel. It is a joy to see these men demonstrating a burden for reaching their own people.
As we prepare for furlough, most of our focus is on developing discipleship and leadership into the lives of these men that have shown commitment to the Lord's work. Over the last 3 years, many have been the professors and 'flash in the pan', few have been the gems that weather the tests of discipleship. These men at Motupa are beginning to bear some very promising fruit. Each one of them feels a strong personal responsibility toward the building of a church in their village. We are praying that God will use them mightily, especially in our absence, to see that the work can be done without the missionary here. Please pray with us to that end.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Family Pictures...
Catch!!
Funny Boy
Piano Girl
I Love You Daddy
We are so grateful for these two precious ones that the Lord has put in our care.
They are the best kids in the world!! We love you two dearly.
Our greatest prayer is that they will know the LORD that loves them.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Thou shalt not kid thyself
"Let no man deceive himself....Let no man glory in men", I Corinthians 3:18, 21. Perhaps two of the most valuable commandments given in the entire book of Corinthians. I have a preacher friend whom I have often heard say that if there were 11 Commandments, the 11th would surely have been "thou shalt not kid thyself". How fitting and forthcoming of a statement for the vanity and carnality that is so common in 'christian' ranks today. Nothing must be more disgusting in the sight of God than to see men parading and promoting themselves as some great one, and using none other than the platform of their 'christianity' to do so. That is exactly what Paul was rebuking here in this very chapter. Of all men who could have 'rightly' paraded and promoted his spirituality, who would dare deny the Apostle Paul that right? Yet, his true spirituality brought forth a stinging rebuke to those who were claiming to be his disciples. In a spirit of humility he declared himself to be nothing more than a servant and a laborer. He assigned to himself the most menial of titles.
We see this same problem in the Lord's churches today, taking on so many various manifestations. If honest, we are all inclined, in our flesh, to brag on our deep spirituality, especially when we are among our peers at church. How very unnecessary are our personal praise reports of how many people we have given tracts to, and how great our sacrifices have been for Jesus, and how deep our humility, and how close our walk with God. Sometimes we are all but saying...."oh, if you could only attain to my level". May we all please give the Lord a great blessing, and do each other a tremendous favor, and stop the parading and promoting of our own great spirituality. It is true that there is no higher calling than serving the Lord.......but servants need not brag!
We see this same problem in the Lord's churches today, taking on so many various manifestations. If honest, we are all inclined, in our flesh, to brag on our deep spirituality, especially when we are among our peers at church. How very unnecessary are our personal praise reports of how many people we have given tracts to, and how great our sacrifices have been for Jesus, and how deep our humility, and how close our walk with God. Sometimes we are all but saying...."oh, if you could only attain to my level". May we all please give the Lord a great blessing, and do each other a tremendous favor, and stop the parading and promoting of our own great spirituality. It is true that there is no higher calling than serving the Lord.......but servants need not brag!
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